


the Lion, the Wizard and the Wardrobe

by noga1290



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Canon Divergence - Post-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Harry Potter & Severus Snape Friendship, Lily Evans Potter & Severus Snape Friendship, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2020-10-19 21:23:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20663999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noga1290/pseuds/noga1290
Summary: Severus Snape owed a life debt to Potter even before his carbon-copy was born.Or did he?





	1. Prologue

Harry Potter walked out of the office of the Potions' Master.

Well, walked is an excessive word, considering Harry's trembling hands and the fact that he felt like his legs will fail him exactly in the few steps he needed in order to cross the dark, cold corridor of the dungeons.

However, walked may be an acceptable word, considering the fact that he was still alive; his heartbeat was probably the most palpable it has ever been. Harry closed his eyes as he reached the stairs in the end of the corridor and leaned against the wall, unable to hold himself standing any longer.

Because Snape was right.

Everybody always told him that his father was a kind, funny and brave man. But when Harry drew the scene from the Pensieve into his brain again, all he could see was a bully, a coward.

A Dudley.

He thought about his mother's saying again and again. How could she ever marry James Potter? Based on this scene, it seemed more probable that Snape was his real father. After all, Lily came to his help.

_No_, Harry decided as he thought about how Hermione reacted when Malfoy called her Mudblood. Best chances are that he was actually a **_half giant-squid_**.

He gave a bitter smirk, and immediately regretted it, as a sob followed. The stairs to the Gryffindor Tower seemed almost endless, and he decided that he couldn't meet his friends right now. _Maybe you should_, whispered a tiny voice in his brain. When he talked with Ron and Hermione, it felt like he wasn't alone. A few shoulders that helped him carry the weight of his abnormal life.

_Hey, guys, remember those top priority Occlumency lessons? So, I've decided to blow it up by looking into Snape's Pensieve, and found out that my father is a bully. Oh, Neville, you should try to put Snape in his underwear the next time you see a boggart. My father thought it was hilarious._

Yeah, right. He'll be dead before he even let out a single syllable, let alone hit the ground.

Harry sighed as he thought about all the things that Snape saw in his mind during the lessons. Sure, the Occlumency lessons haven't been great, but every time that Snape got to his toughest memories, Harry was able to kick him out. This is probably Snape's worst memory and he saw everything.

Well, almost everything.

A cold breeze passed through the corridor and Harry shuddered. He pulled out his wand from his robe, freezing as he saw it.

A tiny, silver spark, resting at the top of his wand. A picture from the scene, probably the end of it.

The debate began inside his brain. _He shouldn't keep it, but it was a memory of his parents… and how could he even return it? He probably won't have the guts to face the man in the Potions lessons, not to mention talking about what happened._

With a careful tilt of his hand, Harry moved the spark until it was safely hidden in a small crack between the thick layers of the wood of his wand.

Without hesitating, the spark flowed in, and Harry quietly began the impossible mission of climbing to the Gryffindor Tower, his heart heavy.


	2. Bonjour, Nouveau Monde!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning is from OOTP, of course.  
I don't own any character.

> _“Harry?”_
> 
> _Neville had slid down the stone benches one by one to the place where Harry stood. Harry was no longer struggling against Lupin, who maintained a precautionary grip on his arm nevertheless._
> 
> _“Harry . . . I’b really sorry. . . .” said Neville. His legs were still dancing uncontrollably. “Was dat man — was Sirius Black a — a friend of yours?”_
> 
> _Harry nodded._
> 
> _“Here,” said Lupin quietly, and pointing his wand at Neville’s legs he said, “Finite.” The spell was lifted. Neville’s legs fell back onto the floor and remained still. Lupin’s face was pale. “Let’s — let’s find the others. Where are they all, Neville?”_
> 
> _Lupin turned away from the archway as he spoke. It sounded as though every word was causing him pain._
> 
> _“Dey’re all back dere,” said Neville. “A brain addacked Ron bud I dink he’s all righd — and Herbione’s unconscious, bud we could feel a bulse —”_
> 
> _There was a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. Harry saw Kingsley, yelling in pain, hit the ground. Bellatrix Lestrange turned tail and ran as Dumbledore whipped around. He aimed a spell at her but she deflected it. She was halfway up the steps now —_
> 
> _“Harry — no!” cried Lupin, but Harry had already ripped his arm from Lupin’s slackened grip._
> 
> _“SHE KILLED SIRIUS!” bellowed Harry. “SHE KILLED HIM — I’LL KILL HER!”_

Bellatrix was a fine athlete, and so was Harry. Soon enough, every Death Eater or an Order Member disappeared from sight.

And in this moment, running through the corridors of the Department of Mysteries, Harry knew that only one of them will be able to make it out alive. He felt the fire burning in his chest, the words on his tongue, ready to create the green, familiar flash.

Suddenly, Bellatrix stopped, as they reached into a hall with only a few containers, filled in a strange and sour-smelled purple fluid.

"Well, Baby-Potter. I think we ran far enough, didn't we? You wouldn't want dear old Dumbledore seeing you casting an Unforgivable, wouldn't you?" she said, with a triumph smile. "He will be so disappointed. And all this hassle for _a_ _dog_… Shame, don't you think?"

Harry growled and tightened his grip on his wand, and they stood in silence. In this moment, he truly hated her; hated her for reading him so easily, like an open book.

_Close your mind, Potter._

Her smile became wider. "I didn't think you'll have it in you." She declared as she threw a Reducto. Harry quickly dodged and the curse missed him, but a troublesome creaking sound echoed in the hall.

The black-haired boy could only look backwards in time to see a tank exploding on him, a cold fluid washing all over him in a great flow.

The only thought that he held in his mind was keeping his grip on the wand as tight as he could, and slowly the purple fluid which flooded his eyesight became familiar darkness.

~~~

When Harry woke up, he found himself staring up, at the white ceiling of the infirmary, unable to move his head.

He felt so… _weak_. Like he hasn't ate in years. Maybe the Dursleys finally managed to fulfil their old fantasy and starved him to death.

"Oh, good, you're finally awake." Announced a voice in his right, and for a moment all Harry wanted to do was to get up and hug his godfather tight.

_... But it couldn't be him._

A tear made its way down Harry's cheek.

"Great observation, Black. I always wondered how you didn't wind up in Ravenclaw." Answered the deep, unmistakable cutting voice of Snape, from his left.

"Merlin, won't you shut up, _Severus_?" asked the first man – _was it really Sirius?_ _Maybe he didn't die?_ in a sweet voice that brought the memory of Umbridge at the forest to Harry's brain, along with a faint smile to his lips, which completely disappeared as a wand pointed right above Harry's head, to the right.

"Say my first name one more time, _I dare you_." Gritted Snape between his teeth.

Before Harry could even reply, a wave of pain washed over him. _Fire_. As if somebody ripped his scar open, digging inside with a knife and twisting it. A scream that began in his throat ended up as a hoarse groan on his lips.

"What the – Merlin's beard, can't you two put aside your animosity for _even a second_?!" A feminine voice said and a cool hand, full of salve, touched his scar and began following the lightning shape, again and again, the pain slowly disappearing.

"There, it should be better now. Do you want some water?" she asked and without waiting for answer, brought him a bottle. The head of the bed lifted itself slowly and now he was able to move, but the world around him became fuzzy. What happened during the fight? Has he become half blind?

Harry wanted to hit himself as he felt the emptiness on his nose. _Of course that it was fuzzy, He wasn't wearing his glasses!_

"Glass." He managed to croak.

"You prefer a glass?" The female, red stain in his sight, asked him, bemused. Harry shook his head.

"He fell with glasses on him." Said Snape, his voice calmer then before, like he was restraining himself. Pale hands pushed roughly his glasses onto his nose, and the world became clearer.

Harry looked to his right, and saw his godfather. It couldn't be a mistake; Harry recognized Sirius from miles, but… something was wrong. Sirius looked like he was in Harry's age, maybe a year older than him.

However, Harry reached with his hand out and squeezed his godfather's. "-'rius!" he managed to declare with joy. Frankly, stranger things happened in the Department of Mysteries.

Sirius looked bewildered but offered a charming smile, that could have been flirty if it was armed towards anyone else. "You sure k-" " – Out!" ordered the girl, and he jumped. "Yes Ma'am!" he saluted jokingly and began marching towards the exit, bumping forcefully into Snape and pushing him into the frame of the door. 

He drank the water from the bottle slowly, his green eyes following the pair, and a sigh escaped from his lips. At least nothing was changed. He noticed that Snape also looked young. The Gryffindor-boy frowned. Snape wasn't in the Department. Maybe he came as a backup and Harry just didn't notice?

If they saved Sirius, probably everybody made it.

_Right?_

"Everybody's alright, right?" he asked her, just to be sure. A twinge of guilt went through his stomach. If any of his friends hadn't made it...

And finally, his eyes reached the remaining person anxiously, waiting for her answer. She also looked sixteen, very similiar to his mom as he saw her in Snape's memory. But she wore the same uniform that Madam Pompery always did. Maybe she was a new matron? Was Pompery retiring? "...Yeah." she answered, and a smile flashed on his face. "Assholes." She added under her breath, and he blinked at her with confusion. Definitely _not_ a matron.

"Way to go. Great first impression." She added with a grin as she saw his face. "Sorry."

"Oh, that's okay." He said, a tentative smile on his face. "I didn't know that St. Mungo's are taking such young interns."

The girl smiled at him without bowing, or even the usual blush that escorted his chats with strangers. A good sign already.

"I'm not an intern, I'm an apprentice to Madam Pompery." She answered, the pride showing on her face. "She's the medic of Hogwarts. Do you know what is it?"

Harry laughed. "Well, sure. How couldn't I?"

She shrugged, the smile not leaving her face. "Until this moment, we weren't even sure if you speak English. Good thing that you didn't wake up speaking French, because my knowledge sums up in bon appetite."

Harry quickly debated inside his head, and decided in favour of a witty comeback instead of asking what exactly she meant. She obviously didn't know him, at least not his face, and if he asked about her comment she'll probably ask who is he and he'll end up losing a potential friend.

Witty comeback it is, then. Hermione would have been proud.

"What about merci?"

Although, he mused, Hermione probably would laugh about his horrible accent, especially after spending a month in France, skiing. 

_Where are Ron and Hermione?_

"Okay. Bon appetite and merci."

"Add bonjour. Everybody knows how to say bonjour. Oh, and baguette!"

She chuckled and raised her hands, as if surrendering. "Okay, you won. I may happen to know some more French than I thought."

Harry's smile grew wider and he held out his hands. The ginger caught it in a firm grip.

"Harry Potter."

"Lily Evans."

They both said at the same time, and equally frowned, pulling their hand away from each other as if they were burnt.

"I'm sorry, come again?" they asked simultaneously.

"Harry Potter." He said first.

"Lily Evans." She answered, her frowning deepening. "You aren't connected to James, are you?"

But Harry was too busy staring at her with wide eyes.

"Harry?"

He blinked and looked into her eyes. It was like looking into a mirror.

Oh, _**dear lord**_. No wonder she looked like his mother.

_Harry, you have your mother's eyes._ _And you have some deep, deep shit to deal with._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of the chapter means 'hello, new world'.


	3. Also, I'm Not a Death Eater!

"You aren't related to James, are you?" Lily asked Harry, although deep down she knew the answer. It was inevitable - his hair, his face. In a few aspects, it was like looking into a carbon-copy of James Potter. 

Harry Potter was scrawny and even as he lie down, it was clear that he's shorter than his relative. There were a few points which disturbed her: his cheekbones were softer. His black hair messier than James', the kind of messy he always dreamt of achieving.

But it was his eyes which incommoded her the most.

Green, familiar eyes, that peeked at her each time she looked into her reflection.

And suddenly, _she knew_. Why the boy was so happy to see Sirius, why he was shocked by her name. How he knew Hogwarts. Why he fell out of nowhere. Why they failed in finding him in any available database. A distant, fuzzy memory of a conversation with Severus, one of their first conversations, of which she hasn't thought in years, jumped into her brain.

> _"Do you want kids, Lily?" the boy asked as they sat in the forest, his hands fidgeting in a twig he found on the ground._
> 
> _"I don't know, Sev. Maybe. Sometimes I think about adopting a child. It'll be so much easier than giving birth, y'know."_
> 
> _He chuckled quietly. "Oh, come on, Lils. You're a witch now, remember? It's really not that bad. Mother always says that after a few 'notice-me-not' she casted on her belly, she almost didn't notice she was laboring."_
> 
> _She laughed in return, trying to imagine suddenly noticing that a baby's head is coming from between her legs. She would've freaked out. "I said maybe! Although, your story definitely tips the scale towards adoption." _
> 
> _He frowned. "Oh, come on... You know it's much harder to like a child who's not your own, let alone love."_
> 
> _"I think I'll manage." she answered, knowing that her friend is probably thinking about his own family. If his father doesn't love him, how somebody else could?_
> 
> _She sighed._
> 
> _"Although, I'd like choosing my child's name. Daniel and Harry are fair names, I guess..." she declared, changing the subject for Severus' sake's._

"Harry?" She asked, her eyes reaching out to those of her son's.

~~~

If one asked Ron how oblivious Harry was about female's feelings, he would've probably crowned the black-haired boy as the brightest in their age.

However, if the same one asked Hermione the same question, she would've told him that an orangutan has better chances of understanding the subtle nuances in her sayings.

Orangutan or genius, there was no chance for Harry to miss the shock and recognition in Lily's question. _She knows._

And just like that, it was too much for Harry. Too much to think about his friends, who weren't even obscure idea. Too much to think of Sirius' corpse falling through the vail. Too much of trouble, too much responsibility. To know that he has already messed up his past, and even if he'll manage to return to his time, probably everything would change.

"FUCK!" he shouted, various shades of strong feelings flowing through him. A sudden wave of heat drowned him, wrapping him in stifling, heavy air. All of his body tingled with raw magic.

This time, the familiar black sight was a blessing.

~~~

When Harry woke up this time, the world remained black. He was petrified and blindfolded. Great.

"He woke up again." Harry heard Snape announcing, his usual bored voice stained with a curt of intensity.

It was... _disturbing_.

"Bring me the vial, Severus." ordered an unknown voice, and after a few seconds Harry felt a warm breath on his face. 

"You'll be given the Veritaserum potion." the same voice continued. "It is the truth potion. You are believed to be a threat on our society, and as such it is required to take the top precautions."

_'No! Please!' Harry tried to shout, to explain. They couldn't find out anything about the future._

Despite his desperate pleading, his mouth remained shut.

"Alas, Horace, you forgot to present yourself." with a tingle in his heart, Harry recognized the voice of Dumbledore. For the first time in months, Dumbledore was in the same room with him from choice. Ironic that he didn't know anything about it. "We shall not forget the formal procedures, shall we?"

"_forget._" said Sirius with a snort, his voice cold. "Yeah, right. He's just shaking from the _Death Eater_."

_Death Eater?!_

"Ten points from Gryffindor for unrespectful behavior towards a staff member." the voice of McGonagall declared, albeit the subtle hint of amusement it held.

"I'm **not** shaking!" protested the first voice - Horace. "Severus, if you may?"

A rough, cold hand, with which he was very familiar from his Potions and Occlumency lessons, grabbed Harry's jaw and pressed skillfully. He felt his mouth opening, against his will, and two tasteless drops of the Veritaserum hit his tongue.

His body melted into its moving form again, and Snape removed the blindfold. Harry blinked a few times, trying to adjust his pupils to the bright light inside the room. The Headmaster's room.

"Out." ordered McGonagall, and Sirius walked towards the exit, surprisingly without ranting. The rough hand yet hadn't left him.

"Mr. Snape, I know that intelligence is something which you do not lack. Why then, so help me god, you ignore my specific order of walking out?" she asked, and Harry felt her crippling gaze upon them.

"...Surely, Minerva, you can't deny Severus of his right to study." Horace, who turned out to be a fat and short man, answered after a few seconds of silence. "This is an opportunity which comes once in a lifetime; The few times in which I myself gave Veritaserum, in all of my lifetime, can be counted on one hand. The boy is a prodigy!" Harry felt the other boy's hand warming up as the blush spread over him.

"Why do you think that this is a good enough reason to let him stay and hear possibly sensitive information about the war?" she asked fiercely, but before Horace could answer Harry felt the Veritaserum kicking in.

"Because Snape is an invaluable source of both information and potions for the Order. Also, Dumbledore trusts him, which must mean something to you." 

The room became silent suddenly, and before anyone could do anything, he felt the hand leaving his jaw, grabbing his chin and rotating his head towards Snape. "You know **me**? How?" he hissed.

"Yes, I know you." the Gryffindor boy answered, his voice emotionless, the answers slipping from between his lips. "You are my Potions Professor. Also, you taught me Occlumency. Also, you saved my life a few times. Also, you're a greasy git. Also - "

Dumbledore motioned with his right hand and Harry's mouth kept moving, but he hasn't made a sound. 

"Out." he declared simply, his blue eyes losing their usual tinkle. Without another word all of the occupants of the room left the room.

Snape was the last to leave, his pale face pondering as he stared Harry from behind of his shoulder. 

with a fleek of Dumbledore's wand, a cushioned yellowish sofa appeared and he sat on it, gazing at Harry. Another fleek and he was able to speak again.

"Who are you?"

"I am Harry James Potter. Also, I am the Chosen One. Also, I am the Boy Who Lived. Also, I am a wizard. Also, I am not a Death Eater!" 

Dumbledore's eyebrows frowned. "How are you related to James Potter?"

"He is my father."

"Which year is it?"

Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times, and Dumbledore realized the potion's dilemma. "Which year did you came from? Which year do you believe that you are currently in?"

"I came from the year 1996. I believe I'm currently in the year..." he calculated quickly. "1977. Or 1976."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "1976 it is. Today is the 26th of September. How did you arrive here?"

"I don't know." he answered simply.

"Do you support Voldemort?"

"No."

"Do you wish Hogwarts harm?"

"No."

"Do you wish _me_ harm?"

Harry thought about the flashes of red that he saw each time he saw Dumbledore. The urge to kill... and yet... "No."

"How do you know about the Order? Do you know what is it?"

"I lived in its headquarters for a few weeks. The Order of the Phoenix is an organization you established with the purpose of resisting Voldemort."

"Do you agree with its targets?"

"Yes." Dumbledore looked relieved, and a hint of mercy shadowed his face. He released the ropes and handed Harry a small vial, which Harry swallowed without hesitating. "Thank you." he said as the potion lost its grip on his tongue, nervously.

"I'm sorry, my boy. You surely understand why we had to take such precautions." the Headmaster sighed and looked as old as Harry had known him. "I see that even at your times we suffer from Voldemort?"

Harry nodded and Dumbledore pushed his half-moon glasses up his crooked nose. "Alas."

For a few seconds, Harry's heavy breathing was the only thing that was heard in the Headmaster's room.

"Oh, well. Sherbet Lemon?" Dumbledore asked abruptly, his grandfather's smile crawling onto his face. 


	4. Sorry, Spoilers

_"Oh, well. Sherbet Lemon?"_

Harry wanted to laugh, and cry, and shout at Dumbledore, demand explanation of all of the abnormal things which occured in the last year. He wanted to smash each one of the delicate tools and strange devices which stood on the Headmaster's desk. To make sure that everyone came back home safely, even Sirius. To understand what happened. "No, thank you, Professor."

"Very well." the Headmaster answered, and popped the sherbet he held into his mouth. He seemed like he was cherishing any moment of tasting the sour flavour, and Harry couldn't help but thinking about the fact that Dumbledore could have been a very good advertiser.

"Why did you assume I'm a Death Eater?" he asked as the obvious question floated into his brain, like it was waiting for this moment.

Dumbledore finished sucking most of the sherbet, and his Adam's bobbed as he swallowed the rest of it. "Why, my boy, we were certain you knew. Don't you remember what happened in the infirmary?"

Harry shook his head.

"Interesting." Dumbledore said, and tapped with his wand on a small, golden device, which held a small clear ball. 

"This is the current level of magic at Hogwarts." the ball floated to the height of Harry's shoulders, changing its colour to deep blue, with green sparks. "Generally speaking, navy blue is the color of defence runes and wards. Green is the colour of harmless spells. However, during the incident at the infirmary..." he tapped on the device again and the ball jumped so fast it hit the ceiling, changing the colour repeatedly from black and angry red. 

"Red is a controversial colour. Most of the people believe that red is the colour of attacking spells and curses. But if we bear in mind your background, we shall listen to Sun Tzu's philosophy to explain the meaning of this colour: 'Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack'. You haven't done anything; An ineffable evil happened in the infirmary, Harry, and your body defended itself with raw magic. Such wild power couldn't be controlled, and wasn't able to defend both you and Ms. Evans completely."

Harry gasped. "My mo- what happened to Lily?"

Dumbledore waved his hand in dismissal motion. "Nothing permanent. According to Poppy's prognosis, she will wake up in a few hours. Yet, you certainly understand why we had to take such precautions and why Horace was, as Mr. Black declared very eloquently, _shaking from the Death Eater_."

The boy nodded, grinning as he thought about Sirius' comment.

"Subsequently, we shall decide what to do with you." the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye shined and he looked at Harry, his blue eyes anticipating to answer.

The teen took a deep breath. He has already thought about a part of it. "We can't put a full disguise on me because Sirius and Snape already saw me. I think I should pose as a muggleborn. The truth is that I grew with muggles, so I guess I'll be able to pull it off. Furthermore, I should say that I'm Lily's relative; I have her eyes and people will notice it, and she knows who I am anyway. As for the rest..." He passed a hand in his already-messy hair. "I can say I lost a bet or something, so I dyed my hair to black. If you'll make me redhead I think I'll be different enough from my Father."

Dumbledore nodded. "Sounds fair. And where were you until today?"

"I didn't want to go to Hogwarts and when you tried to convince me, you told me that it will be impossible to control my accidental magic. We agreed that I'll study alone magic, but if I won't succeed in controlling of it I'll come to Hogwarts." Harry's face became serious as he began telling the sequence. "I accidently hurt my godfather and that's why I decided to come here."

"You mulled over the subject." Dumbledore answered quietly.

Harry shrugged, a half-smile floating on his lips. "You'll be surprised how much of your brain stays avaliable when you don't need to ponder about everything you say."

The Headmaster smiled in return and took out a quill and a big book. "Harry Evans, it is. The cousin of Lily?" 

A node.

"Very well, Mr. Evans. Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Wait - what about Snape and Sirius?"

Dumbledore's smile grew wider. "What did you take when they were here?"

Harry looked at him, bemused. "Veritaserum, of course." The second man shook his head. "No, of course not. It will be highly inappropriate of me to give you Veritaserum in the present of students. You're a seer, of course. That's why you sometimes confuse the present and the future. The fact that a seer needs quiet for his inner eye, which cannot be found in Hogwarts, only explains why you studied alone and didn't came to Hogwarts until now."

"The only vision I have right now is of myself in..." Harry laughed as he thought about himself dressed as Trelawny. "Sorry, spoilers."

Dumbledore merely nodded, and a growl was heard. "I'm afraid that my stomach reminds we shall go to dinner and get you sorted. Are you ready?"

Harry took a deep breath for the who-knows-how-many time today, and forced himself to smile. Not to think about any of the familiar faces which are waiting for him. "I don't know if I am ready, but I won't get more ready. Let's do it."

~~~

"... And now, please welcome our new student, homeschooled seer - the cousin of Lily Evans, Harry Evans!" 

A polite round of applause came from the teachers' table, and curious whispers came from all around the hall. Harry stepped forward towards the Headmaster's place and wore the familiar, ragged hat.

_"You're ragged yourself!" said the sorting hat. "Interesting... Very interesting. Time traveler, huh? So brave. So loyal. I wonder... Why did I want to put you in Slytherin?"_

_"I don't know." he answered, honestly._

_"Oh, now I see!" the memory of the conversation with Dumbledore flickered in front of his eyes, then the one of Snape's worst memory, then Tom Riddle's diary. "Such a lucky fella. You must tell the Headmaster when you return. All this time spent, looking for a cure... He will be relieved!"_

_"What are you talking around?"_

_"Don't worry, dear. One day you'll realize, sooner the better. I know that your Gryffindor brain does not work like that, but try to make yourself some useful friends." _

_"Can yo-"_

"Gryffindor!"

"I hate you." Harry muttered under his breath, and waved to the crowds. This time he will have some fun with his fame. His eyes skipped on Sirius, James, Remus... Lily wasn't there yet.

He looked for Pettigrew and flashed him a vicious smile. "Don't spill the pumpkin juice, darling!" he shouted, and of course - the nervous rat spilled it.

The buzz in the hall became louder and more excited, but Harry ignored it and sat next to a few fifth-years, in the edge of the table. "Will I pass the OWL in Potions?" asked a brunette girl and Harry wondered for a second what did he get in the OWLs. 

_It doesn't matter_, whispered a voice in his head. _You're not there anymore_.

Harry's face became hesitant. He can do anything he wants. He could join to the Potions NEWT class, work hard, become an auror...

_Maybe even save a soul or two in the way._ His eyes wandered to Snape, who sat alone in the edge of the Slytherin table.

Finally, he recalled that the girl has asked him a question. 

"Sorry, spoilers." he said, and pushed a spoon full of scrambled eggs down his throat, in such a vulgar way that it would have shamed even Ron.


	5. A Delicate Case

As soon as Harry stepped out of the hall, he stopped. Something felt... _wrong_.

"Look, I know you're there. Why don't you just show yourself?" He asked. To his surprise, a billowing Slytherin robe came forward from the shadows. "Snape."

"_Evans_." the other man looked almost deadly as he said it. "Who you really are?"

Harry casted him a sheepish look. "What? I'm Harry Evans. Of course I am." he tried to say in a bemused tone.

"For once in a lifetime, I agree with Snivellus." said a deep voice and Harry turned around on his heels, his wand automatically pointing at the speaker - his dad.

He stared.

"Snivellus 'greasy' Snape." Sirius commented, his' and James' wands already pointing at Harry, mirroring his position. He spinned his wand between his fingers with pompousness that Harry's godfather never had in him.

_They're not the same, are they?_ Whispered a voice in his brain. _Maybe Sirius was right. Maybe eventually they did grow up_.

"My, my. I think that Dumbledore told you not to call me Snivellus anymore, or else... What was the price, a hundred points? Can you remind me, _Sirius_?" Snape answered in a sweet tone that Harry never heard from him. 

"Don't call me like that." the Gryffindor-teen growled in return.

"Very well, stupid mutt. I'm shocked you have even noticed this subtle nuance. I must say, I didn't believe you had that detective mind in you." 

Sirius looked bemused. "What nuance?"

Snape's knowing smirk was the only answer. And it was enough for Sirius. A quick cutting motion of his hand created a blue spell. "Protego!" Harry instinctively yelled.

"Oh, a real Death Eater, aren't you?!" Sirius shouted. "Alarte Ascendare!" Harry dodged from the spell. Unfortunately, Snape reflected it and Harry was forced to jump in order to avoid it.

Both of the Gryffindors flashed their wands simultaneously without any need to talk between them. It reminded him of a pair of gingers who left Hogwarts recently and his delayed reaction could've costed him at being the target of the spell. However, it wasn't aimed against him - Snape was now hanging in the air. "Sectum- " "Expelliarmus!" both of them shouted, and his wand flew straight to James' waiting hand.

"And now..." Sirius said darkly, looking at Harry, or at least the place where he were a second before.

Albeit Snape's belief, Harry hadn't escaped from Voldemort's hands three times due to his patience and tolerance. So when Sirius turned around, Harry's quietly muttered Expelliarmuses already hit both of the other Gryffindors, knocking them forward. Harry collected the wands from the air in one hand, just as easily as catching a snitch. James looked lost for a second, unsure of what to do; it was obvious that he didn't predict this kind of outcome, and maybe had second thoughts. However, Sirius hasn't hesitated and threw himself forward, his hand hitting Harry's nose in a crushing sound.

Harry could only watch for a second as his godfather, one of the people he trusted the most, broke his nose. 

And then, he pulled himself together, his instincts acting for him. He rolled on the floor and jumped, pointing the four wands he held towards Sirius. "STUPEFY!" he shouted and felt the magic flowing through his hand. The big blue cloud hit Sirius and he fell on the floor.

Harry panted heavily, lifting his hand to his nose. James stared at him, stunned. "You used four wands at the same time."

"Oh, sod off, James. I dob't care what you thibk. Catch." Harry said tiredly and threw him and Snape their wands. "Dob't eveb thibk about it." he warned them. Snape only waved his hand and landed on the floor, flawlessly, and quickly left the place. If Harry was paying attention, he would've noticed that the dark teen walked towards the libary instead of the doungens.

"I'm goibg to the ibfirmary. I thibk he broke my bose. Need a habd?"

James nodded at him, pale, and silently the both of them pulled the unconisious Sirius to his feet. "Mobilicorpus." Harry uttered, just like Sirius himself in his third year, and the frozen body floated in the air. The two of them walked to the infirmary.

"Harry!" he heard Lily as they came in. "We need to - what happened? Potter?"

Harry and James placed Sirius on the bed, no answer needed. Lily casted a Patronus of a beautiful deer. "Call Madam Pompery." she told her, and the deer rubbed James as she passed him.

"What - no witty remark, Potter?" she asked, but James only frowned at her. "Lily, my best friend looks half-dead. He was hit by four stunning spells. Forgive me for not trying to hit on you in this specific moment, I promise I'll make it up soon." he offered her a halfhearted, weak smile and she rolled her eyes.

Madam Pompery entered the room, her face more severe than Harry ever saw. She exchanged a few words with Lily. "Take care of him." she motioned towards Harry, who now felt a twinge of guilt. "It's a delicate case. He'll be okay, don't worry." the medic added as she saw Harry's and James' worried looks.

Lily only nodded. She was expecting it. "Come, Harry. Let me see you." she said softly and lead him towards the other end. "Seat. Here." She offered him her Gryffindor sweater. "Your shirt is stained in blood. You look horrible. Is it your blood?"

He nodded gratefully and exchanged his shirt, trying not to smudge blood upon Lily's sweater. It was warm and cosy. Lily smelt like... Well, Lilies. He grinned.

She muttered a spell which Harry couldn't catch and a long list has appeared in front of her. "You lead interesting life, no doubt." she remarked, and he nodded, a soft groan of pain escaping from his mouth as the motion hurtled his nose.

"Let me." she said and laid a hand on his nose. "Episky."

Harry touched his nose with his right hand. "Hey, it's straight!" he exclaimed, surprised.

She rolled her eyes in return and continued reading the list. "Gee, thanks for the trust."

"No problem." he said, but she frowned, her eyes focusing on something on the list. Her tongue lolled from her mouth, and Harry wondered to himself if he also held out his tongue when he was absorbed in something. "Your left hand also was hurt. I think you awoke an old injury. We should fix it. It'll probably heal itself through the night, but I think you better stay over here." she gazed at James' back, then leaned closer to him. "Also, you won't need to Sleep with any of them in the same room. I know Sirius, he'll convince Madam Pompery to release him. Another bonus is that we'll be able to talk. And you know we need." 

He passed his good hand through his hair as she took care of his left hand, nervous. He'll have his first conversation with his mom. Should he comb his hair? 

"You really are an idiot, Harry..." she sighed as she declared louder, obviously for the rest to hear, and Harry offered her a weak smile.

"...A charming one, though!"

"If you call bloody nose a charm, then yeah, sure, champion." He stuck his tongue out, and both of them laughed.

James' jealous gaze hadn't arrived much later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to Viria on the original drawing! (my edit)  
Check her out in:  
https://darkarts.co.vu/post/160890720759/viria-nailed-it-james


	6. A Thief

"... And then Malfoy laughed at our friend, and Hermione was so angry - she juts slapped him!"

Lily literally splattered the water she was drinking. "Oh my god, Harry! Are you serious?" he nodded in enthusiasm and both of them laughed so hard it ached. "Just marry that girl already." she added as they calmed down, which only made Harry laugh even louder than before. "Oh, no. Hermione is like a sister."

The other teen shrugged. "My ex-best friend was like a brother to me, but he asked me to marry him. A few months after we met, actually. Said that I'm the best thing that has ever happened to him." she saw his bemused look. "Severus." she clarified.

"Severus?!" Harry shouted, forgetting for a moment that it's the middle of the night. "Sorry." he added quietly. "But _Severus Snape_?!"

she nodded. "I guess from your reaction that we had never really made up. A shame, really. To throw such a relationship for his stupid pretend-to-be-friends." then, for the second time in his life, Harry heard Snape's worst memory, only from a totally different perspective.

His mother explained him that she and Snape were childhood friends, even though Petunia - Harry couldn't be more surprised - was jealous of them because she wasn't magical. She told him about their first meeting with his father, about the sorting, of the Marauders' taunting, of endless conversations near the lake and skipping stones on a river during the holydays. But she also presented him Snape's lure to dark magic, his new 'friends' who were trying to convince him to get rid of her. 

"What completely killed us was the rumors, I think." she revealed with a sigh. "They said that calling me _that name_ was a challenge from that idiot, Lestrange, to see if he has it in him. To be a Death Eater. It was something I couldn't forgive. He did not deny those rumors when I asked him, only turned his back to me. So when he came to Gryffindor's common room, threatening to sleep outside the portrait all of the night - I came out and made my position _very clear_. Since that day we don't talk." 

Harry frowned. Snape never told him anything about his mother. But when he thought about it, he noticed that Snape had never tainted Harry about her. Suddenly, talking about Snape with his mother felt... right. 

"You know, he always tainted me. Since my first day. I never understood why."

Lily sighed again. "I'm not surprised. He always was the kind of person to hold grudge for years."

The boy thought about the incidents and the interactions he saw between Snape and Sirius, now and in the future. "Hard to miss." he remarked, and she gave him a grin. However, there was something that still bothered him.

"Do you know why James was stunned from the fact I used four different wands at the same time?"

"Because it is rare to be able to master four wands, three of them you'd never seen before. Plus, I was sure that you are a Death Eater, and it is easy to cause permanent damage while using such amount of raw magic, even by mistake. You must've really not meant any harm." said a voice from the shadows, which Harry now knew that belonged to his father.

Both of them jumped and turned around as James jumped practically out of nowhere, and Harry knew that the invisibility cloak was probably tucked under his jacket.

"How much have you heard?" Lily questioned harshly, her eyes turning into angry slits. Harry, however, motioned calmly for James to sit on his bed. They haven't talked about something sensitive and even if he managed to understand who Harry was, it's better to do the damage control privately and quietly.

Besides, he wanted to know James. Preferably without Sirius waiting in the shadows.

"Enough to understand why you think I'm a dick." he said and she snorted in return. "Wow, in the single time I don't explain it to your face you understand it."

Harry truly wondered how will they ever marry.

"Stop fighting!" he protested like a child when his parents are fighting.

_Oh, wait a minute..._

"You said it's rare to control a few wands?" Harry asked, abruptly changing the subject. "As scarce as hen's teeth." James said, frowning, and even Lily abandoned her slightly tensed position in order to look at James.

"Oh, yeah. Muggleborns." he remembered, but his tone was neutral. "In the pureblood tradition, making magic with a wand is like... spilling water through a hose. If you connect your faucet to one hose it's pretty easy to control its course. But if you try to hold four hoses in front of your faucet while controlling its course and trying not to waste any water, it's almost impossible. So you must have a pretty good grasp on your light-magic, because otherwise there would have been an explosion of raw magic or something." Harry and Lily exchanged looks, his apologetic and hers smirking.

"Personally, I think it's more like electricity. It makes more sense, because the wands share the 'potential' of the caster, so the raw power is pretty much the same in each of the wands." James added and both of the muggle-raised shot him surprised looks. "What?" he raised a brow. "I know electricity pretty good. Sirius and I built a pretty big project using it." a full grin spread on Harry's mouth. The motorcycle, definitely.

"You've combined magic and electricity?" asked Lily, her tone dubious yet inquisitive.

"Yes." he simply stated, passing his hand through his hair. "The physics stuff were actually kinda fun. I think seriously about studying it in the mugglish way. After the war, of course."

Harry felt a lump in his throat. His father didn't even want to be an auror. Another thing that Voldemort has managed to steal from his parents, maybe even from him - does he really want to be an auror, or maybe he wants it because he's trying so hard to stay alive? His father was no dumb. He could've changed the magical world. Harry tried to imagine a world in which Arthur Weasley's inventions were the norm.

As Harry left his day-dream, his parents were engaged in a conversation about the side effects of combining magical and muggle technology.

The now red-head boy let the soothing voices pass above him, probably hearing the first conversation ever between his parents which wasn't an argument or a fight.

_Maybe I'm not a half squid, _he thought as sleep claimed his eyelids.


	7. Get a Room

Harry woke up just to find Snape standing above him, looking as intimidating as always, watching him over his beak-like nose.

"Aren't there any privacy wards over this place?" He asked, tiredly.

"Aren't there any time and space rules?" Snape asked, mimicking his tone. "Not that rules have ever disturbed a Potter before, is it?"

Harry tensed. "It seems like James doesn't really care about rules, ye-"

"Oh, cut the bullshit!" Snape yelled at him, losing his usual nonchalance. "I know what you are! I know who you are. It was obvious that Potter would never do anything like that. Maybe Dumbledore agreed to this nonsense, but I won't. Even if it means killing myself."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, I don't know." The other teen looked pondering. "Maybe about your sudden change of heart in your and your mutt's attempt to kill me? Does me entering the Shrieking Shack with a werewolf sounds familiar to you? Rescuing me in the last minute? Earning a _life debt_?"

_Well, it sounds familiar. But obviously not for the reasons that Snape thinks._ "...Killing you is an exaggeration." He tried, unsure what to answer.

Snape seemed like he was about to explode. He grabbed Harry's bad shoulder, harshly, and the redhead flinched as Uncle Vernon crossed his mind. Snape leaned towards Harry.

"Not so strong right now, when you don't have your pet wolf with you, huh?" Harry felt warm breath on his ear as the other teen whispered. "Don't worry. Just tell me how old are you, _James_."

_Oh_ _._

Harry grabbed Snape's collar, like the other man will do years later, and hurled him on the bed, sitting over him in instincts that only years of playing Harry Hunt could teach one. 

"Now, you listen to me, Severus Snape." He hissed, his brain already forming a plan. Because if there was one thing that Harry knew about Snape, it was that he won't listen to the words of a Potter.

"I'm not James Potter. Do you need a wizard oath in order to believe me? I'm sure that you can understand that I'm not lying, despite you probably have the_ emotional range of a teaspoon_ based on what Lily, **my cousin,** told me. _Fools who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily — weak people, in other words — they stand no chance_ in the real world! Quit nurturing your pity party and grow up! You had one person who loved you with her life and you screwed up! Fix it instead of dumping your jealousy of James on me! And, for god's sake, please give me a heads-up in the next time you want to dislocate my shoulder - I could've saved you the trouble and just ask Lily not to fix it!" Harry panted heavily, like he ran a mile, as the pain wave hit him.

Snape's face now bared an unrecognizable expression. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then - 

"MR. SNAPE, MR. EVANS!" Shouted Madam Pomfrey as she rushed down the infirmary. "I've thought better of you!"

Both Harry and Snape now understood how their position could be seen from the side, especially due to the fact that Harry slept in his boxers. The Gryffindor quickly rolled next to Snape, instead of sitting above him.

"Madam Po -" "Hush! I know exactly what you think. It won't happen to me. Well, Mr. Evans, to your information, wizards _can_ bear a child. You must use at least..."

Harry sighed and let the rest of the lecture was over his ears. In the end, Madam Pomfery dismissed them after 45 minutes of sexual education and fixing his shoulder, in time for breakfast. Harry dressed in his only set of clothes and both of the teens stepped out of the infirmary.

"Have I really dislocated your arm?" Asked Snape, scratching his neck, his eyes reaching Harry's.

The other boy nodded.

Snape didn't look smug or happy with the answer, but didn't answer. They kept walking towards the Great Hall, silently.

Harry mused over the glimpses he had of Snape's childhood and abruptly stopped. When dealing with a Slytherin, he should act just like one. "Harry Evans." He said, offering Snape his right hand, hoping that this incident will have a different outcome than the mirrored one.

The other teen eyed him suspiciously, then scanned the area around them.

"...Severus Snape." He finally answered and caught his hand in a firm handshake.

~~~

Grey and blue eyes watched the strange pair from the shadows of the corridor.

"Do you think we should acknowledge the Dark Lord?" The first asked, and the other frowned. "It's just a mudblood. How his arrival could have caused him such an ill?"

The first shook his head. "And yet, something felt... wrong. About him. When they took him to the infirmary in the first time, I had goosebumps just from standing nearby. He has the Dark Lord's vibe, you know? Not to mention that he's a seer, if one believes Dumbledore."

the other grinned. "My, my. Such an eloquent speaker. Despite your... _verbal skills_, and my negligible faith in Dumbledore's sayings, I must say I understand what you mean." He sighed. "Borrow Atlas. Send a letter to your mother." He added and smirked, revealing a perfect line of white teeth. "Although, who knows how she'll respond. Father always said she became a little crooked when your brother was sorted to Gryffindor."


	8. Idiotic Gryffindor

Between spending the night at the infirmary, listening to a long tirade about contraception, ordering twenty-six different items (with the courtesy of Lily's owl, Athena), introduction to the old Hogwarts (including students and teachers) and hearing endless hushed arguments between James and Sirius about him Harry felt exhausted. He quickly thrown off his shirt (he really should get pajamas), but after a moment left his pants on, flushing from the thought of sleeping in his underwear in the same room with a future Professor.

It was no wonder that when he landed on his pillow with a _'thump!'_, only seconds passed before his even breathing filled the dorm.

James and Remus now stood together in the entrance to the room, eyeing the peacefully sleeping boy.

"You should talk to him." Said Remus, and James lowered his gaze, shrugging.

"Pomfrey told not to fight him. He's still a little weak."

Now the werewolf chuckled. "And since when do you care what Madam Pomfrey says?"

James kicked the wall. "I don't think that he wants to talk to me right now. And truthfully? I don't think I want to talk to _him_. I'm tired of this, Moony."

"Look, James…" the other boy sighed. "You know it's a hard year for him, with his family and everything. It's only reasonable he'll be a little…"

"Jerk? Dolt? Dunderhead?"

"…Edgy." Remus completed and a soft chuckle startled them both.

"I didn't know that your vocabulary is so extensive, Potter. One would think that you actually learnt something from Severus."

He wrenched his nose in return of the mention of the Slytherin. "Now back to Severus, aren't we, Evans? You forgave your dear lad and now you're suddenly friends again? Is that what you came for, to shove it to my face?"

"Oh, lay off, jealous train. I only came to give Harry some clothes until his new ones arrive. He's shorter than you, and, well… Pettigrew's would look like a circus' tent on him."

Despite his attempt to keep the sour look, James' lips quirked up. Remus openly grinned and smacked him lightly. "Come on, James. Don't be like that."

The mentioned boy sighed. "Oh, fine." He huffed melodramatically. "Anything for m'lady." He bowed and lifted an imaginary hat at her. "I shall hope that my smile will light your heart like thousand sunrays, thus making you hark fain to the question that you shall receive anon."

Lily looked at him, a genuine grin developing on her face.

And then, the unexcepted happened.

She _laughed_.

"Let's make a deal, Potter." She said, a twinkle in her eye. "Behave better, find an original way to present the question to me, and I'll… hark fain to you, and maybe even think about it."

Remus gasped, and James looked stunned.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Boys." She added in a light tone and hanged the robes on James' shoulder, his gobsmacked gaze never leaving her. The redhead walked to the stairs leading to the common room, passing Sirius Black in the way. She took a few steps and stopped.

"One, two, three…" She counted quietly and just as she predicted, she heard the sound of her hangers falling to the floor.

"THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE, MOONY, PADFOOT!" Yelled James at the poor boy, pushing aside all of his anger. A bump was heard, as the happiest person in Hogwarts probably threw his arms around his best friend. "But how could you let her leave?!"

~~~

Harry woke up to a mumbled sound of a yell from a very familiar voice. " – leave!"

His eyes widened. His dad shouting to leave – it must be a dementor again. How did they get into Hogwarts?

Jumping on his feet, he caught his wand with a quick motion of his hand and slid outside. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he roared, without thinking, and a mighty silvered stag flew out, looking at him bemused.

The stag arched his brow in a very Snape-ish way. _'Where's the enemy?'_ it seemed to ask, and Harry looked around.

At three Marauders.

Crap.

"How – " James began to ask, his eyes wide, as he looked at his animagus character. Harry shoved him aside and jumped to the stairs, running as fast as he can. He passed the empty common room in a few seconds and climbed through the portrait. Only after he reached to the Astronomy Tower he stopped, panting and cursing himself quietly for his stupidity.

The Marauders weren't stupid, and they could put two with two. Which makes five people aware of his present in his past. He probably destroyed so much that he won't even exist in the future.

_Maybe it's for the better._

He sat on the edge of the window, his legs hanging outside. "Tempus." The boy whispered, and the hour 1:07am glowed on the background of the dark sky. The Dog Star was glowing brighter than the rest, mocking him. A cool breeze brushed him and he shivered.

"Only left the infirmary and already trying to go back? You know no bounds in trying to see your _cousin, _Evans." A deep voice commented and Harry hadn't even bothered to turn around.

"Get bent, Snape." He said angrily, more at himself than at the other boy, but Snape only snorted and sat next to him, his long and slender legs easily passing Harry's.

They both gazed at the stars silently for a few minutes.

"Enlighten me – is there a new fashion trend of transparent shirts that I wasn't aware of?" The lean boy asked, and Harry snickered against his will. _Snape was joking with him? He must be really dying._

"Don't be so dramatic." Snape dismissed, and Harry frowned. Has he said it out loud?

"Yes." Snape answered, and Harry frowned even harder, but the other boy just smirked. "You're like an open book, Evans."

"Well, my Occlumency teacher was a git." Harry lowered his gaze to his bare feet.

"That's only an excuse for being incompetent." Snape unknowingly defended himself. "I think Slughorn's a git and an idiot, yet I'm the best student in Potions."

Harry was surprised. Well, not that Snape wasn't the best in Potions, but… It was strange to hear this kind of declaration from the man who always accused both Harry and his father of being arrogant.

"A little pompous, won't you say?" Harry asked and Snape sneered at him.

"Oh, _please_. That Professor is hardly adequate to teach the subject, not to mention good at it. I had to learn most of it by myself." He suddenly blushed, the crimson staining his pale cheeks.

"With Lily." Harry corrected him, and the other boy blushed even harder, but didn't deny. "You two began talking again."

Snape stared at him for a moment, but didn't seem over-shocked. "Well, yes." He recovered, not elaborating, which was fine by Harry.

"How come You've had an Occlumency teacher?" Snape suddenly asked, abruptly changing the subject. "You said that I'll teach you Occlumency. Unless you aren't a seer, of course, which makes me wonder what made you give this answer." He frowned at Harry, who visibly flinched.

_Was this why Snape was talking with him? Just because of what he said under the Veritaserum?_

"Umm…" Harry thought for a second, cursing himself again. He couldn't fuck it up any more, could he?

"I told you he was a git. Shitty teacher. I didn't really learn anything."

Snape seem unsatisfied with the explanation. "The rest is really, well… Sorry, spoilers." Harry quickly added, and after a few seconds Snape's black eyes stopped watching him like a hawk.

Suddenly, the other boy sighed.

"I don't know why I even care." He muttered and pinched his nose bridge in an adult fashion, tiredly. Harry shivered again, unsure if from the coldness of the night or from the unexcepted confession, and the pale boy waved his wand wordlessly. Harry felt a heat wave coming over him.

"Thanks." He said and Snape waved his hand again in a dismissal motion.

They kept sitting quietly for a few more minutes. Snape suddenly straightened up. "Filch." He muttered and cursed quietly. "Come on! Quick! I'm not hearing another tirade." He hissed to Harry, who flushed. Why does it always happen with _Snape?_

Snape stood up, but Harry caught his wrist as he heard Filch getting closer.

"No. He'll catch us, he's too close." He pulled Snape back to the window. "I have a plan." He said, and stood on the edge.

"What are you, _insane?!_" Snape's eyes widened at him as he caught the edge of the window with his hands. "You're insane if you plan to get caught by Filch." Harry wasn't going to find out if Filch ever had permission to whip children.

He slowly lowered himself in the other side of the window, Snape staring at him like he was mad. The cold stone scratched his bare feet as he leaned on it, straightening his arms.

The steps came closer to the tower. "Well?" Harry whispered at Snape, his eyes pleading. "He'll catch us both, you know it!"

After a few seconds, which seemed like eternity, Snape casted a cushioning charm on the far land and climbed carefully out of the window. "Can't believe I'm doing this." He mumbled and hanged from his hands, next to Harry.

They waited until the steps were out of ear reach again. Harry's arms were heavy and sweaty.

"Come." His leg leaned on the stone, offering his knee to Snape, who was even paler than usual .

Wordlessly, Snape climbed to the tower, and an almost colorless hand appeared from the window.

Harry took it and Snape pulled him up.

"Idiotic Gryffindor." He muttered and Harry wasn't sure which one of them he meant.

"Bloody right." Harry's heart was pounding, but he smiled widely at Snape, who stared at him like he was crazy.

_Well, maybe he was._

Snape threw him a look vanished into the darkness and left him standing over there, but Harry could have sworn that he saw the shadow of a smirk staying in the air behind him, like a Cheshire cat.


	9. All for the Owl

Harry saw no point in leaving the Astronomy Tower, especially noting that Filch already patrolled there. He was now sitting again on the edge of the window. He had a lot to think about.

Snape was acting strangely. He was… civil. Almost as if he _wanted_ to know Harry Evans. Maybe it was the impact of the Slytherin's renewed friendship with Lily?

Once again, Harry found himself musing about the nature of Snape's and Lily's peculiar relationship. James was not the only person who was sending jealous glares at the redhead Evans pair as they hanged together.

Which leads to the obvious question…

_Was Snape in love with his mom?_

Harry sighed and stared at the sky, once again his eyes drawn to the brightest star – Sirius. He felt a tinge of betrayal because of his godfather. Maybe it was because of the sudden hate which radiated from him as their eyes met; maybe it was because he never told Harry anything concerning Snape and his mother, only Snivellus and his big greasy nose.

A shuffle of legs, very unlike Snape's soundless paces, interrupted Harry's train of thoughts. After a few seconds he felt a sudden change in the chill breeze of the tower and a familiar silver cloak wrapped him. "Anti-Filch." The other boy said with a mischievous smile.

"James."

"Harry." Answered the named boy. "I think maybe it's time for you to return to the dorm."

Harry sighed. Another heart to heart talk.

"Look…" Harry kept quiet. "I know you think that I'm jealous of you and Lily. That's okay - I am. But it doesn't mean that I'll hurt you or something. Sirius won't if I tell him, either. And I know you haven't really met Peter and Remus, but they're alright. No macho ego or anything."

James sighed and continued, as Harry failed to answer to the description of Pettigrew as _alright_. "And despite the fact you have the matching masculine patronus to Lily's, I know it really doesn't matter anything. You and I have the same one, you know." He revealed. "I've talked with Sirius. His family really knows their way around magic. Turns out it's really common for family members to have similar patronus."

Harry blinked in confusion at James. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, don't worry." He assured with a laugh. "You don't need to marry her or anything. Now, are you willing to return to the dorm? It's getting cold over here."

Harry felt found James' laugh infectious. _They didn’t suspect him?_ The longer he thought about it, more he felt like an idiot, and harder he laughed. _Why would they think about it, anyway? It’s just a patronus, which happens to be the same as James'. That's all._

His heart suddenly felt lighter as Harry forgot all about Snape's behavior, Sirius' hate, the longing to Ron and Hermione and everything which had troubled his mind. And it seemed that he was alike his father at least in one way, because James laughed even harder as Harry laughed, even though he didn't know what was so funny. Hell, Harry himself didn't know. Soon, both of the Potters were laying on the floor of the Astronomy Tower, holding their aching stomachs.

After a minute or so, they calmed down. "Where did you learn to cast patronus?" Harry asked the other boy.

James' smile disappeared. "Let's head back." He told Harry instead and covered both of them with the cloak.

Harry frowned. James seemed much more serious than Harry had ever seen him, more mature. Something changed in his position, suddenly not so sloppy. He made a note in his brain to ask Lily about it.

However, the note wasn't needed by the time they arrived Gryffindor's common room, as James stood and motioned Harry to sit on the couch. "My father died in the hands of a dementor." He stated briefly, folding his hands on his chest. "Nobody knows for sure, but…"

Abruptly, he dropped next to Harry on the sofa, his tensed position disappearing with a deep exhale, like air leaving a balloon. "They say that it was just a rebellious dementor, but I **know** that You Know Who made an example out of him." He insisted heatedly. Then again, just like the fight spirit appeared, it left him. "A month has already passed and there is no single day in which I don't think about him."

Harry could relate. "I know how you feel." He answered and sank deeper into the cushion, watching as James rubbed his eyes.

But then, he _understood_.

"That's what has changed, isn't it?" Harry asked. "Why you act so different. Why you fought with… Black." The surname felt strange on Harry's tongue.

"Yes." James admitted. "My father's death triggered a chain of events, which led to him living in my house. He's been living on spikes since then, thinking that anyone new…" He sighed and stared at the fire, lost in his thoughts.

A bitter laugh startled Harry and a sob followed. "And to think that just last year I was willing to give anything if Evans would agree to date with me. Now I have a chance to get what I wished for in the past five years, and yet? I feel hollowed."

_Well, now he knew how his parents began dating._

Harry closed his eyes, biting his lower lip, feeling defeated as the memory of Sirius falling into the veil flashing inside his brain. A single tear made its way silently on his cheek. It was nothing like the agony in the ministry, full of rage and anger. Just… _grief_.

He tried to push aside the mourning, both about Sirius and about the family he never had and now will never have. All of his thoughts about the fact that he never even knew his grandfather's name, let alone why he died.

Yet, he found himself asking: "What was his name?"

"Fleamont. Fleamont Potter." A distant memory of a man in the Mirror of Erised appeared in Harry's brain.

Sleep claimed them both, albeit not so fast compared to 2:16am.

~~~

Harry woke up to a poke in his shoulder and instinctively flinched.

"Hey." He heard the warm voice of Remus, who was standing near Lily. "You'll be late for breakfast. And for the show." He winked at Lily, who signaled Harry to watch. Them excluded, the dorm was empty.

Lily poked James in the shoulder and sleepy James looked at her, bemused. "Evans?"

"Sleep no more!" Remus shouted in a dramatic tone, making both Harry and James jump.

"Still, it cried ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house!" continued Lily, with matching hand movements, sounding like an announcer.

"Lupin hath murder’d sleep, and therefore Potter shall sleep no more — James shall sleep no more!" Remus declared dramatically.

The werewolf began laughing and all of the surroundings joined him. "You're on her side, Moony?" asked James, wiping an imaginary tear.

"Et tu, Brute?" Remus corrected and both James and Harry looked at him bemused. "Oh, come on. History of Magic! I mean, Evans has an excuse, but…"

"Come on yourself, Remus. I've always told you that you're dealing with a group of ignorant baboons." Answered Lily and Harry noted that this kind of comment could've come from Snape. But, in contrast to him, her smile wasn't vindictive - rather genuine.

_Not that young Snape has been so vindictive towards Harry, has he?_ Whispered a voice in his head and Harry frowned.

Harry's mind wandered to the memory by the lake. He thought about James' behavior last night, how his reaction to every little thing was exaggerated, sometimes to the best of him and sometimes to the worst. _Perhaps, _he told himself, _his mother was drawn towards people that needed fixing. Her dream career – mediwitch – sure supports this theory. _

A cough made Harry aware to his surroundings and he saw Remus standing in front of him. "Let's try again. Remus Lupin. I'm the other perfect of our year, besides Lily." He said, and Harry flushed.

"Harry Evans." He answered in an apologetic smile, and the quartette made their way to the hall, Remus mumbling something about people who never wake up in time.

~~~

_28th of September, 1976_

_Dear mother,_

_There has been a new development in the environment of the school. Despite its unlikely, both Lucius and I agree that this information may be vital to the war and we leave the final decision to your judgment. _

_ I've already told you that in the last June, a boy fell suddenly from the sky, unconscious, right on poor Severus (somehow, he managed to miss all of the Gryffindorks who were tormenting him). From what I've learnt both Sirius and Severus needed to take care of him as long as he stayed unconscious and they were at school, as a punishment for their fights._

_This boy is strange, mother. He has an aura of raw magic and the rumors say he fought Potter with four wands at a single time. Severus told us that he needed to develop a special lotion for his scar (some kind of a curse scar) because he couldn't stop screaming._

_Then he came back to consciousness, just two days ago, which is the exact time of you-know-what happened to… well, you know. Strange, don't you think?_

_Dumbledore says that he's a seer and Lily Evans' cousin (some mudblood from Gryffindor). _

_Despite that – everything is going great. I enjoy the classes so far._

_Yours truly,_

_Regulus._

_P.S. Lucius would like to note that Atlas – which is his owl – is very picky, and will eat only treats from "All for the Owl". Please treat him well._

_P.S. #2 I really need an owl of my own._

~~~

_28th of September, 1976_

_Father,_

_Attached a copy of Regulus' letter to his mother which sums up everything._

_Atlas will give you a head start of two hours. Reach him first and you'll be given both credit and glory._

_I'll keep in touch in case something comes up._

_-Lucius_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original quote: "Still it cried ‘Sleep no more!’ to all the house: ‘Glamis hath murder’d sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more,—Macbeth shall sleep no more!"
> 
> From Macbeth, act 2, sc.2, l.39-41.


	10. Don't Gamble, Children

"Your schedule, Mr. Evans." Harry felt a hand on his shoulder as Mcgonagall handed him his new schedule.

"Come on, Minnie, don't be so cold." said Sirius as he sat down near James, messing up his hair. "Give our dearest seer a warmer welcome. Maybe he'll throw a word for you in his chat with the gods. Or the Death Eaters."

"And that will be another detention, Mr. Black." she added in a sigh and frowned. "I'm not quite sure I have time for it, with all of the trouble you two has caused." she mused. "I shall send you to Filch."

Those words had a magic effect on James and Sirius, who stood as one. "You can't do it, Professor!" James protested dramatically. "At least cancel one of the detentions Padfoot was supposed to have with you - "

" - Since a detention with Filch worth at least two detentions with you!" completed Sirius, his hand graspping his chest. 

"Mr. Black and Mr. Potter, I'm impressed at your Math skills. How come you haven't chose to learn Arithmancy?" Harry and Lily snickered, but Remus had it the worst; almost choked on his pumpkin juice.

With those words Mcgonagall left Gryffindor's table, leaving two wordless students standing near it.

"... Was that a compliment?" James asked his friend, shocked, and Sirius shrugged. "I told you she'll fall to my charms." he said, puffing his chest.

"Love charms, maybe." Remus responded thoughtfully. "Do you think that this kind of things could hold, Lily?"

"Maybe. It depends on the case. If you try to create love from no-emotion, for example, you may fall into one of the exceptions of Gamp's law of Elemental Transfiguration..." she answered, and the words faded as Harry began reading his schedule, scanning his day:

_ **Tuesday** _

Potions (Prof. Slughorn)

-

DADA (Mr. Mayer)

DADA (Mr. Mayer)

Charms (Prof. Flitwick)

Divination (Mrs. Mayer) 

Divination (Mrs. Mayer)

"Neat, a free period." Harry grinned but James shook his head as he shot a look to Harry's schedule. "Don't count on it, Slughorn really likes to make potions that take two periods. He doesn't really care about the rest of the schedule." 

Harry scratched his head with his wand. "Oh. Who else takes Potions?" 

James motioned with his hand. "All of us, actually. Except Peter." _Shocking._

"Are you coming today, Potter? Black?" asked Lily. "Or skivving off to create some new project?"

James raised his goblet for Lily with a triumph smile. "_Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness._" Remus and Sirius stood with him and they began marching to the class like soliders, grinning.

Lily rolled her eyes. "_When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions!_" she shouted at them and turned on her heals, walking to the opposite side. Harry followed her, laughing.

He couldn't help but noticing that Lily is very alike Hermione, only wittier. She had some kind of charisma that Harry's bestfriend has never obtained. Yet, Harry couldn't help himself and felt a twinge of longing as he thought about Hermione and Ron. Sure, Lily was smart and witty, but Hermione was warmer, more trusting. And James was funny, but he wasn't Ron; They weren't his first friends, the ones who survived through fights and wars with him, literally following him through fire.

They were his parents, not his _friends_. And maybe James isn't aware, but Lily is, and Harry needed people who won't treat him as a child. 

"Killin' it, girl." he told her, ignoring the memories of last night that floated into his head of a certain Severus Snape.

"Yeah, I love dramatic exits; We won't be there long after them, don't worry." she smiled at him. "I wonder where does James find all those quotes. He doesn't really read Shakespeare, does he?" she asked Harry and he shrugged in return. "Maybe he does." the boy answered, not convincing even himself. Lily only snorted.

"Stop." she said after a few minutes, pulling Harry towards a tapestry. She tapped the wall a few times in an ancient rhythm which sounded like some classic music that Dudely hated, and a tunnel openned itself towards them. "This leads straight to the dungeons." she told the amazed teen, smirking. "I guess you're not a perfect, are you? Lumos."

Harry shook his head and followed her into the tunnel, light coming out of his wand. After a minute of walking they've reached the dungeons. "Harry?" Lily asked, turnning to him as they've walked into an abondoned classroom. "Do you know how James and I ended up together?"

Harry felt the grin conquering his face. "I guess we'll have to wait and see." he answered with a wink, passing her and entering the Potions classroom, which was big and looked almost empty (excluding the Marauders, Snape, another four Slytherins, three Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff).

"Oh! We're the last ones." Lily rushed him in and caught the seat next to James, which was empty. Harry looked around the class, helpless. The only empty place was...

"Death Eater reunion?" asked Sirius with a gloating smile. Harry openned his mouth to answer, but Snape elbowed him and pointed at Slughorn who has just entered the class.

Harry had never thought that he could say this about Potions' theory, but the first part of the lesson was actually fun; Slughorn clearly tried to avoid looking at Harry, but it was hard when the Potions' prodigy of the generation was sitting next to him and taking an active role during the lesson. Snape even layed a piece of parachment on the table between them, and the two boys silently betted how many times will they make Slughorn's hand twitch as he looked at them.

Harry wrote 26; Snape raised to 34; they've ran out of place on the parachment in 50. 

"...Today we'll prepare Hate Potion, which was recommended by Grizel Hurtz for witches and wizards who are emotionally attached to a person who does not return their feelings. It shows one what are the worst traits of another person."

Harry thought to himself that James may be regreting on his seat-choice for this specific lesson.

"Might help Snivellus with Lily, or with his new boyfriend." a rather loud and smug whisper was heard from Sirius' desk.

"Might help your brother with Voldemort." hissed Harry back, angrily, without thinking.

"What did you say, Mr. Evans?" asked Slughorn, looking unaware of what's going on. "Do you have a question?"

"Actually I had, Professor." Snape filled in, lying smoothly, before the redhead could even open his mouth. "In the recipe you've written there is no biological sample of the subject. I know that the **Salamander Blood** and** Dragon Blood** may cause a reaction with the **Dragonfly Thoraxes**, based on their acidity. The goal is to make the potion airborne? If so, how could one know who is the current subject of the potion? What will it show if you stand next to numerous people? And of course, you may try to add saliva of the other person to the potion, but the **pH** level of the potion will denature the **Deoxyribonucleic Acid** inside the cells, so what's the point? I've read a few articles discussing about the attributes of the potion, and I believe that the best alternative is to make it airborne, colorful gas, that only the drinker could notice. We shall adjust the color to ones magical signature."

Harry blinked and looked around.

Lily was pondering, chewing her quill, but besides her the class looked bemused. Harry knew it is selfish to be happy, but at least he wasn't the only ignorant.

Slughorn just nodded and his lips twitched upwards. "If you manage to do it, I'll give 50 points to Slytherin, Severus."

"100."

"75."

"80."

"Consider it done."

"You shall, too." answered Snape and turned to Harry, cracking his finger joints. "Well, Evans, what are you waiting for? We have a potion to make." Harry almost jumped at this thought.

"Unnecessery flex." he mumbled to Snape as they walked to the cabinet. The Slytherin arched his eyebrow as a response, and without adding a word he began piling the ingredients.

Harry counted three ingredients which he doesn't know at all. Not too bad.

_Right?_

~~~

Harry didn't know what to expect from Snape during their work. As it turns out, this lack of understanding was only one-sided, because Snape knew _exactly _what he wanted from Harry. In the two hours which followed, Harry learned more than in all of his potions lessons together; he chopped, clipped, skinned _(you wanted to put the whole leech inside?!)_, grinded, mashed, crushed, cutted _(straight lines, Evans!)_, smashed and pilled.

Most of the times Harry was so bad that Snape cursed his Potions teacher, and Harry had choked on his laugh every single time. Those times were ascorted with a demonstration, and usually ended up with Harry's hands touching Snape's. 

Harry wasn't sure what he was thinking about it, but decided that it is very ridiculous to call the black-haired boy in his last name after they've been through fights, running from Filch and _could he please stop touching my hands?. _

So, **Severus** it is.

He even shared this thought with Snape, who arched his eyebrow in return, nodded and continued stirring silently. Absolute win.

For the first time in five years, Harry was proud of their potion. Of course, the recipe was pure Snap- Severus, and so were the preperation, and most of the ingridients, but Harry helped and that's a start. The potion looked like a thick, blue fog, and Harry stared at it.

"We need to test it, Evans." Severus declared and looked unsettled. 

"Drink." offered Harry in a Gryffindorish way, motioning him to drink. He was actually curious what will Severus see. There were so many bad tributes in him that he couldn't decide what's the most dominant one.

Severus inhaled half of the potion and offered Harry the other half, his eyes still closed. He held the bottle tight and seemed like he was fighting himself. In the end, he carefully placed the bottle on the desk. "Inhale." he corrected and commanded.

Harry followed the instruction and looked at Severus, their eyes meeting. Harry looked with surprise as the now thin gas wrapped Severus' face, wearing the mask of somebody that reminded Harry a bit of older Snape, only angrier than he has ever seen.

"I think that the potion isn't working correctly."

Severus looked at him, a strange look on his new vague mask.

Then, without adding a word, the other boy placed the remains of the fog inside the bottle on Slughorn's desk and exited the class, leaving Harry behind. 


	11. Something about the Speed of Light

"As your commentator to Severus-stuff, you probably messed up, Harry." said Lily as she waited for him to finish packing his things.

Harry sighed. "Well, at least you had fun with James?" 

Lily's smile was as wide as a the one of a shark. "Our potion wasn't as good as yours, but I think I finally out-Shakespeared him." 

"I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed!" Shouted James across the class and Lily tried to stop herself from smiling, unsuccessfully.

"You can't lose if you don't play the game." Harry suggested and Lily looked at him with wide eyes. "Did you just join him?"

"What?"

Her bemused look became amused. "You didn't know it was a quote of Shakespeare, did you?"

Harry mumbled a noncommitting bunch of words, which ended with "I'll let you two handle this good job." With those words the redhead left the class.

~~~

The DADA lesson passed surprisingly well. Harry discovered proudly that most of the spells he has taught in Dumbledore's Army weren't a common knowledge. He tried to keep quiet, but after seeing a Ravenclaw (Jenny, as it turns out) trying to fight James in a posture which fitted a top-model show he decided to help the other students.

As Harry gave Lupin a tip about how to shoot several spells in a row without messing up the movements, he tried not to concentrate on the fact that he's fixing his own professor.

And speaking of his professors, Severus wasn't there. Harry shot Lily a tad worried look and she nodded back, but as he tried to ask her if they should look for him, she vigorously shook her head. Harry tried to push the thoughts about the strange boy into a small box inside his mind, but his failure only reminded him of his failure in Occlumency.

He looked over the class; this was the place where Severus and the Marauders took their OWLs. Where it all began. Harry wondered where did the little silver spark went. Maybe it somehow combined his magic with Severus', making him a stronger wizard. That would explain the incident with the four wands.

"Try this one on me." Harry suggested to a black girl from Gryffindor. The girl – Angela – tried to cast Arresto Momentum at him, but he kept walking regularly. It was a spell that Harry planned to teach in the next lesson of DA. He had some hard time with casting it for the first time. "Note that you should make a faster motion as you go on, since it compensates for the slowing down of the enemy."

An orange flash caught Harry's attention. He turned around and looked at Mr. Mayer.

_ **Not quite correct, Mr. Evans. You can't compensate for lost time; only keep moving forward. There are quite interesting case studies about it. Arresto Momentum can't slow down the victim, it is your own environment and yourself whom move faster. This is why your movement become faster.** _

The words appeared in the air. Harry suddenly understood why nobody thought that the fact that Mr. Mayer hasn't talked at all is weird.

On the other hand, Harry was reminded of a specific incident in his second year at Hogwarts.

"Oh." He said, noticing that James is reading the words with careful attention. "It's Modern Physics, isn't it? Something about the speed of light." James remarked.

_ **Of course, Mr. Potter. Though you haven't been specific, have you? The words 'something about the speed of light' describe most of the subject which muggles study in Physics these days.** _

James looked thoughtful and Harry looked around, knowing that somebody will comment on the absurdness of studying muggle subject in DADA. He wasn't disappointed.

"Well, this is what's happening when Dumbledore lets a Mudblood teach." Snickered a solid, tanned Slytherin boy. Harry discovered, shuddering, that his voice was known to him from the graveyard. "But it's not worth a mention. Not when you think about how many Mudbloods are currently – "

Before anyone understood what was happening, the boy was already without his wand, Sirius' and James' wands were pointing to his heart.

"Finish your sentence, Nott." Sirius said, challenging. James' hands were shaking. "Finish your fucking sentence and just give me this bloody excuse to introduce you to this fucking floor, Merlin as my witness."

The class was silent. Mr. Mayer looked like he was enjoying from the show.

"Well?" James asked, his wand climbing up to Nott's neck. Harry saw a Slytherin girl pulling her wand out slowly, a group of three boys following her.

_How many Slytherin boys exist exactly?_

Harry waited. He was smarter than this.

Because his eyes scanned this specific class thousand times as it hunted him in his dreams. His stub from his parents, fading and withering as the time went by. And Harry knew what the Marauders and Severus knew a few months before; this isn't a place to start a real fight. The Slytherins probably knew it, too, because they were hesitant, yet Harry recognized in them the small signs that Dudley and Piers unknowingly and unwillingly engraved into his brain.

So, Harry did what he has done best in the sixteen years of his living; he dodged from the first blow.

Then, when both James and Sirius were hit (on their back) with Expelliarmus, Impedimenta and some other curses that Harry didn't recognized, he quickly jumped and caught the golden snitch; winning both of the wands.

With a single flick of his hand, two Slytherins were stupefied. Another flick and the other boy and girl fell on the floor.

Harry stared with pride, fear and confusion at the wands which were in his right hand, for the second time since he came back. Where were those fighting skills when he had dealt with Voldemort? Why has he discovered them just now? His instincts were always sharp, yet never like it. His control of magic became almost phenomenal, excluding the outburst in the infirmary.

But it can't be just Snape's memory in his wand. He can control three wands in the same time!

_What is he missing?_

When Harry cut his train of thoughts, he discovered that Remus, Jenny and Peter were taking James and Sirius to the infirmary. Once again, Harry cursed the way that his closest family and mentors seemed to trust the treacherous rat. Lily was walking in front of them, already healing some of the curses. Somebody released the Slytherins – Harry wasn't sure who, or when exactly, but he didn't mind.

"Are you okay?" Asked Angela. "That blue light hit you, didn't it?"

Harry looked down at his body and saw no hitting sign, so he shook his head.

Then a silver deer passed her head through the wall, looking at him with two big eyes. It seemed like she wanted him to come with her, so Harry did, without asking for any further explanations.

After all, James said they have matching patronuses; so it must be his mother's patronus, _doesn't it?_


End file.
